Travel & Getting Around

I was homeward bound on a trolley bus in Watertown Massachusetts, with Perkins School for the Blind down the street. On these trolleys There is a row of three seats near the door, and I had taken the furthest seat. The middle seat was empty and a small shape, probably an older lady, was sitting […]

Here are Julie’s recommendations for apps that help you get around; on your feet, using a transit system or in a car…and how to know what is around you. On Your iPhone, Using Siri to Get Directions To Where You Want to Go The Maps app built into the iPhone provides turn-by-turn […]

Traveling by yourself after you lose a lot of sight you almost always have to ask for some assistance in new places. This solo travel is often exhilarating. Provided you are in a busy area such as a train station or airport it can be like the mosh pit at a rock concert. The crowd […]

Here is an important update for anyone who is interested in the Orcam system. The offer lasts until June 5: ~ A pre-launch version is now available at $2,500 (This is a similar price to a mid-range hearing aid) ~ The text reading component is up and running. It can be used for reading books, magazines, newspapers, […]

For a person with little or no sight there are practical and emotional difficulties about using a public restroom. So much of vision loss is about finding things with your hands, and also not being able to find things you need like the flush. You are also afraid of what your hand might touch! You […]

This is the first of the three interviews announced in January. . This week, how a compassionate and caring rehab teacher works with clients who are often stunned by their loss of good sight. He is asking his clients to use a white and red cane and go out into traffic! How can he […]

What to be aware of when there is a lot of snow Joe Kolb has been teaching mobility to people with vision loss for 31 years. I interviewed him on January 30, three days after a big blizzard swept across parts of New England. I started with questions about snow safety. Here are his […]

Today winter is reaching down into southern states that don’t usually have to bother with snow and ice. Stepping onto invisible ice which you aren’t prepared for can be an ankle-breaker or worse. It doesn’t have to be a big patch. Sometimes the most treacherous ice is small and right outside your front door – […]

DeAnn Elliott was a member of early Interpersonal Skill groups at the Carroll Center, and also of the focus group I held at my home. She is a perceptive thinker and writer and has taught me a lot. Here is a re-post of her blog about one of our mobility instructors and her own fears […]